As with most of life’s problems, this one can be solved by a box of pure radiation.
If ruining the only religious icon I have leaves me vulnerable to Martian vampires, I’ll have to risk it.
Actually, I was the very lowest ranked member of the crew. I would only be “in command” if I were the only remaining person.”What do you know? I’m in command
I’m calling it the Watney Triangle because after what I’ve been through, shit on Mars should be named after me.
How did I end up in this situation? I’m the district sales manager of a napkin factor. Why is my daughter in space?
Problem is (follow me closely here, the science is pretty complicated), if I cut a hole in the Hab, the air won’t stay inside anymore.
So what’s the point of it all?”“Seriously?” I asked. “Seriously? You’re asking me for the meaning of life? Isn’t that a little stereotypical?”“Well it’s a reasonable question,” you persisted.
I’m so close to Schiaparelli I can taste it. I guess it would taste like sand, mostly, but that’s not the point.
Conclusion: I don’t need the water reclaimer at all. I’ll drink as needed and dump my waste outdoors. Yeah, that’s right, Mars, I’m gonna piss and shit on you. That’s what you get for trying to kill me all the time.
The NSA?””Yeah, they called and offered to help out. Same software they use for enhancing spy satellite imagery.”Venkat shrugged. “It’s amazing how much red tape gets cut when everyone’s rooting for one man to survive.
It is of course dangerous to set off an explosive device on a spacecraft.
I stumbled up the hill back toward the Hab. As I crested the rise, I saw something that made me very happy and something that made me very sad: The Hab was intact (yay!) and the MAV was gone (boo!).
Space is dangerous. It’s what we do here. If you want to play it safe all the time, go join an insurance company.
Also, I’ll lose half a liter of water per day to breathing until the humidity in the Hab reaches its maximum and water starts condensing on every surface. Then I’ll be licking the walls. Yay.
One thing I have in abundance here are bags. They’re not much different than kitchen trash bags, though I’m sure they cost $50,000 because of NASA.
If someone offered me a free trip to the International Space Station, I would decline. I like Earth. I like the internet. I like Diet Coke. I have cats. I write about brave people – I’m not one of them.